From the Farmer

2018 CSA Week 27

It’s hard to believe that we have arrived at our final week of the summer CSA here at Willowsford Farm. It seems appropriate that we have, given the cold has set in and we are even hearing rumors of the first snow of the season appearing this week! As things wind down on the Farm, it is important to offer a little gratitude to some important people.

This year has been a challenging one on the Farm. Not only was it a big year in terms of transitions in management and staff, it also was a tremendously wet season, which complicates just about everything! First, I think it is important to thank the farm staff, some of whom have been here for several seasons. Anya stepped up in a big way this season and took the role of interim manager which was an extraordinary undertaking. She led the team through a very difficult season and was still able to provide our shareholders with vegetables and fruits each week. She has done an amazing job of maintaining the Farm’s momentum and inspiring the rest of the crew with her hard work and dedication to the operation. Likewise, Lex took on the task of overseeing the livestock operation, caring for 700 laying hens and 30 pigs over the course of the season. He worked hard to ensure that every animal on the Farm had the best life they could and made sure that the eggs and pork that are in your shares or at the Farm Stand was the highest quality possible. If you see them around the Farm or on the street, be sure to thank them for the work they put in this year.

We also had an amazing seasonal crew this year. James and Nate have been returning seasonal employees for several years, and as a result have a lot of knowledge and experience that they can share. They are extremely hardworking and are not intimidated by inclement weather or tough tasks. They also inject plenty of humor into each day, which is important when the days are long, and the work is tough. Christina, Kate were new this year and did a tremendous job of diving in and making things happen. They are hard workers, great people, and will be missed when they leave us at the end of this week. We wish them well as they pursue new and exciting opportunities. Morgan was also a member of the seasonal crew, helping wash eggs as they came in from the coops. Her work was critical in making sure the livestock operation ran smoothly and cannot be overlooked.

The retail staff has also been a huge asset this year. Ashley, Amanda, Michelle, and Deb have all been wonderful in helping coordinate and execute CSA distributions. Additionally, they continue to provide the opportunity to purchase a beautiful array of partner products at the Farm Stand. They work hard to make sure that your CSA experience is pleasant and as easy as possible, so be sure to thank them when you pick up this week.

Lastly, it is important to thank all of you for your support this season. As I said, this has been a challenging year for a variety of reasons, but the support you have provided us has made it possible for the Farm to continue operating and hopefully continue improving year after year. We are excited to have welcomed those of you who are new to CSA, and welcome back those who are steadfast supporters. We have felt honored and privileged to be able to produce food for our community and hope we can continue to do so in the future. Thank you for your interest, your support, and your commitment to your local food system. We cannot express our appreciation enough.

With that, I hope you enjoy this final share of the 2018 summer season. We hope you will consider joining us for our winter CSA offerings, and again in 2019. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out and we will do our best to help. Thanks again, and happy eating!

Collin and Finn the world’s best farm dog, Anya, Ashley and Penny the pup, Lex x800 happy hens, James and Rocko, Nathan, Kate, Christina, Amanda, Michelle, Anna, and last but not least, Radish the best mouser a farm could ever ask for